OHCHR / IRAN VIOLENT REPRESSION

UN Human Rights Spokesperson Jeremy Laurence urged Iranian authorities to end violent repression and calls for accountability. OHCHR / UNTV CH

• Video Length: 00:03:05
• Production Date: 13 January 2026
• Asset Language: English
• Corporate Name: OFFICE OF THE UNITED NATIONS HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS - OHCHR; UNITED NATIONS HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS- UNHCHR
• Subject Topical: HUMAN RIGHTS
• Geographic Subject: IRAN
• MAMS Id: 3524096
• Parent Id: 3524096
• Alternate Title: unifeed260113b

Description

STORY: OHCHR / IRAN VIOLENT REPRESSION
TRT: 03:05
SOURCE: OHCHR / UNTV CH
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGES: ENGLISH / NATS

DATELINE: 13 JANUARY 2026, GENEVA, SWITZERLAND

Shotlist

1. Wide shot, exterior, Palais des Nations
2. Wide shot, briefing room
3. SOUNDBITE (English) Jeremy Laurence, Spokesperson, UN Human Rights (OHCHR):
“We are horrified by the mounting violence directed by security forces at protesters across Iran, as reports indicate hundreds have been killed and thousands arrested.”
4. Wide shot, briefing room
5. SOUNDBITE (English) Jeremy Laurence, Spokesperson, UN Human Rights (OHCHR):
“The killing of peaceful demonstrators must stop. The labelling of protesters as ‘terrorists’ to justify violence against them is unacceptable.”
6. Wide shot, briefing room
7. SOUNDBITE (English) Jeremy Laurence, Spokesperson, UN Human Rights (OHCHR):
“We urge the Iranian authorities to halt immediately all forms of violence and repression against peaceful protesters and to restore full access to the internet and telecommunication services.”
8. Wide shot, briefing room
9. SOUNDBITE (English) Jeremy Laurence, Spokesperson, UN Human Rights (OHCHR):
“As we saw most recently in 2022, broad sections of the Iranian population have taken to the streets, demanding fundamental changes in the governance of their country. And once again, the authorities’ reaction is to inflict brutal force to repress legitimate demands for change.”
10. Wide shot, briefing room
11. SOUNDBITE (English) Jeremy Laurence, Spokesperson, UN Human Rights (OHCHR):
“This cycle of horrific violence cannot continue. The Iranian people and their demands for fairness, equality and justice must be heard. All killings, violence against protesters, and other human rights violations must be investigated in line with international human rights norms and standards, and those responsible held to account.”
12. Wide shot, briefing room
13. SOUNDBITE (English) Jeremy Laurence, Spokesperson, UN Human Rights (OHCHR):
“Several hospitals are reportedly overwhelmed by the number of casualties, including children. Nationwide internet and telecommunications shutdowns are one of the main challenges to full verification. There are reports indicating that members of security forces have also been killed.”
14. Wide shot, briefing room
15. SOUNDBITE (English) Jeremy Laurence, Spokesperson, UN Human Rights (OHCHR):
“It also extremely worrying to see public statements by some judicial officials indicating the possibility of the death penalty being used against protesters through expedited judicial proceedings.”
16. Wide shot, briefing room
17. SOUNDBITE (English) Jeremy Laurence, Spokesperson, UN Human Rights (OHCHR):
“The High Commissioner stresses that Iranians have the right to demonstrate peacefully. Their grievances need to be heard and addressed, and not instrumentalised by anyone.”
18. Wide shot, exterior, Palais Wilson

Storyline

Today (13 Jan), UN Human Rights (OHCHR) Spokesperson Jeremy Laurence urged Iranian authorities to end violent repression and calls for accountability.

“We are horrified by the mounting violence directed by security forces at protesters across Iran, as reports indicate hundreds have been killed and thousands arrested,” the spokesperson for UN Human Rights said.

“The killing of peaceful demonstrators must stop. The labelling of protesters as ‘terrorists’ to justify violence against them is unacceptable,” Laurence said.

“We urge the Iranian authorities to halt immediately all forms of violence and repression against peaceful protesters and to restore full access to the internet and telecommunication services,” he added.

“As we saw most recently in 2022, broad sections of the Iranian population have taken to the streets, demanding fundamental changes in the governance of their country,” he added.

“And once again, the authorities’ reaction is to inflict brutal force to repress legitimate demands for change,” he stated.

“This cycle of horrific violence cannot continue. The Iranian people and their demands for fairness, equality and justice must be heard. All killings, violence against protesters, and other human rights violations must be investigated in line with international human rights norms and standards, and those responsible held to account,” he said.

“Several hospitals are reportedly overwhelmed by the number of casualties, including children. Nationwide internet and telecommunications shutdowns are one of the main challenges to full verification. There are reports indicating that members of security forces have also been killed,” Laurence said.

“It is also extremely worrying to see public statements by some judicial officials indicating the possibility of the death penalty being used against protesters through expedited judicial proceedings” the spokesperson added.

“The High Commissioner stresses that Iranians have the right to demonstrate peacefully. Their grievances need to be heard and addressed, and not instrumentalised by anyone,” Laurence concluded.